A Provocative Remark About Over The Ear Headphones Wireless

Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts and music without the need to connect an audio wire to your device. They're also a great choice for public transport, while at work or at home.

Wireless headphones with over-ears can feature a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They are usually packed in a sleek case.

Soundcore Q30

A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears look better, feel sturdier and Wireless In Headphones generally feel more polished. They're still mostly made of plastic, but the hinges are a bit more secure and the soft leather ear cups are a bit bigger. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a better USB-C version so that you can make use of them with stationary Hi-Fi systems and mobile Hi-Res players. They also feature two microphones built-in, which work well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a wide variety of EQ presets that can be saved and altered to listen to podcasts or music in the way you like. The Soundcore app is simple to use and makes these headphones stand out.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate almost all ambient sound when ANC is turned on. This results in an extremely pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound quality is natural, however it lags a little on the treble. Some might not be a fan of the bass response (we got better results with the Bass Booster EQ). You can fix this easily using the Soundcore App, which comes with an eight-band Equalizer.

The left earcup has an power button, a pairing button, and an USB-C charging port. The right earcup features buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. Double-clicking on these buttons allows you to skip tracks or repeat previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct them to switch modes or set alarms. You can also cover the right earcup with your fingers to enable ambient modes to allow you to hear the world around you without removing the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is fantastic, too. In our tests with ANC enabled the Q30 lasted nearly an hour longer than the other headphones. This allows you to enjoy an extended flight or a long day at work. The USB-C cord included in the kit allows you to quickly recharge them. You'll also get an alert when your battery is nearing empty.

Focal Bathys wireless in Headphones

Focal's Bathys buy wireless headphones is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offers both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They're designed to be an elite high-end headphones that are ideal for listening to music and podcasts on the go but also are a great choice to listen to audiophile music at home as well. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their superior sound is what makes them stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a slim, compact and attractive fabric-finished white retail box that contains all the accessories you'll need in. The package also includes a fold-flat carrying case for wireless in headphones the headphones and a USB-C cable to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

They're powered by a decent 600mAh battery that will get you through a full day of casual listening and include an audio input for wired use. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions with an app (now named Focal and Naim in keeping with English Naim's network-aware products) or the dedicated button on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles such as'silent,'soft transparent,' and full.

The app allows you to change various settings such as the LED brightness, EQ presets including a'music profile' that is more neutral and brighter than the others and also their battery duration. It also lets you to choose the ANC mode and the level as well as setting an 'acoustic' environment that adjusts the sensitivity of your audio to simulate how it would sound like when used in a space with different acoustics.

The Focal Bathys feature a bass-rich profile that adds extra warmth, punch and impact to your favorite tracks. As a result, vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix and can sound veiled while details like cymbals and vocals are not as prominent as you might expect on some other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancellation when compared to other over-ears with more advanced technology such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has a fine reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It is at the top end of the'mainstream' over-ear headphone market, edging into the 'luxury lifestyle' category where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. This means that the XM5s are expensive in price tag, but when you can afford it, there are few better wireless over-ear headphones out there.

The XM5s are loaded with features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in a few instances, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to handle manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res) and Bluetooth's LDAC Technology, are all included. This allows streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. There's a built-in mic for making hands-free phone calls.

The XM5 headphones are no different from the previous generation headphones from WH, in regards to noise cancellation. They're among the best-performing cans for removing the constant drones heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s do a great job isolating listeners from the traffic noises of airports and busy streets as well.

Sound quality is also excellent. The XM5s don't have as much detail in the low-frequency range like the XM4, however they do possess more clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass in Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys strength and clarity but without affecting the rest of the music. In the same way, Massive Attack's grooving Angel showcases the XM5's ability to create precise and precise bass notes.

Battery life is excellent and can last up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is active and 40 hours if it's off. This is more than enough for a weekend getaway or a long period of use.

The XM5s do not come with water resistant or dust resistant. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or wear them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for some people, but it might cause a problem for those who spends much of their time in the gym or lives in a city with rain.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones that fit over the ear with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a a neutral audio profile that is focused on the mids and highs while not going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. They are great for music and movies. They also provide higher fidelity than most rival headphones.

The headphones have a lightweight build that feels comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric and sit comfortably over the ears, do not put pressure on the sides or forehead. The ear cups can also be rotated and tilted to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges have a firm but not overly robust clamping force that ensures that the ear cups remain in place during listening sessions.

A small button on the the right ear cup allows you to switch between noise cancelling modes. There's also a button that can be pushed, like a jog-dial, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to adjust the volume and press it once twice or three times to playback control. Siri is invoked by pressing and holding the button. These buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I would have liked a power button to turn off the headphones when they're not in use. The headphones are put into standby when they are removed from your ears, or if they are placed in their case. They come back to life when you put them on your head.

Spatial audio is another great feature. It uses the gyroscopes, accelerometers, and iPads or iPhones to determine where you are moving. Then, it adjusts the sound so that they appear to come from the location you are in. This creates an immersive theater-like experience for videos and movies that were recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices are able to listen to audio in spatial format.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd feel slightly smug about entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew they'd be beaten in a year by the new model. AirPods Pro are more expensive, but they have more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.